OUT NOW (in stores very soon)
RIP037 Half High - Suspension LP
RIP038 Love Chants - 2nd 12" EP
RIP040 Red Red Krovvy 7"
OUT SOON
RIP039 M.O.B. LP
RIP042 Rat Columns - Leaf LP
RIP037 Half High - Suspension LP
Half High is Lucy Phelan and Matthew Hopkins, the duo at the centre of the group Naked On The Vague. In their musical lives the two members have explored the realms of rhythm/song based music in Four Door and Lucy's recently released solo outing under the name Lucy Cliche, as well as the complete outer bounds of music in Hopkin's solo work and as a member of The Bowels and Vincent Over The Sink. Whatever they're doing it's always quality stuff. ALWAYS. Half High create eerie, disorientating passages of sound utilising synthesizers and musique concrete techniques. If I was to slot it between two other records I have enjoyed this year they would be the Solaris Soundtrack and Call Back The Giants - The Marianne LP (plus the less jarring aspects of the KYE records catalog). It may not be The Rolling Stones but this is far from a testing listening experience thanks to the amount of tact and finesse applied by the duo. Originally self released as a CD-r and cassette, now out on vinyl (w/ download code) as this is an album! Edition of 300.
RIP038 Love Chants - 2nd 12" EP
Low and behold the 2nd 12" EP from the tri-state slow motion electric-folk trio of Anthony Guerra (Black Petal label head), Matt Earle (xNOBBQx, Girls Girls Girls, X-Wave, Breakdance The Dawn Records) and Michael Zulicki (Mad Nanna, Mole House, Alberts Basement Records). Love Chants don't fit in a singular tradition, at least one that I'm aware of, so I'll just throw a few things out there and hopefully you'll catch my drift.... The basement psych of The Bachs if the master tapes lost half the recorded information in a damp storage facility (very sparse and moody), Drag City records circa 92-94 (think Hey Drag City / Making Losers Happy comps, the earliest recordings of Smog and Palace Bros), tortured Neil Young / Neu - Lieber Honig (last track on their debut) vocal stylings, the most gentle bits of the Fushitsusha/Les Rallizes Denudes or Japanese folk/psych groups like Kito Mizukumi Rouber and Suishou No Fune. It also kind of sounds like what you'd expect from these three folks in a room together (I mean this in the best way possible). How does it differ from their first (amazing) 12" on Quemada Records you ask? More of the same but with even more of a hushed, sombre, about to nod off (after day of hard work/parenting, not drugs) vibe. Plus different they're different songs (duh). While Love Chants certainly are an exercise in sound and mood, there's enough iconic musical elements (songs, melodies) and emotion to keep one fully engaged. Edition of 300.
RIP040 Red Red Krovvy 7"
Red Red Krovvy went through puberty together. They separated as young adults. Separated by state lines, they can't play often. Songs are created around necessity. There has been mentions of Murder Punk and the Killed By Death compilations in references to their sound. Neither of these terms were blips on the Krovvy radar when they formed the band as students at Cairns State High School. Years on the premise and approach remains much the same. Direct communication through punk music. Red Red Krovvy have fit 8 songs on this 7" and it still plays at 45rpm. Members went onto form/still play in the groups Pop Singles and Bed Wettin' Bad Boys. Edition of 300.
RED RED KROVVY LAUNCH SHOWS
Syd: Sat Dec 7. Black Wire Records with Oily Boys, Snotty Babies
Bris: Fri Dec 13. The Hideaway with Multiple Man, Cured Pink
Melb: Sat Dec 14. Public Bar with White Walls, Velvet Whip